In desperation, Zeladiel tries once more to summon the last of his magic to him.
This time the spell springs forth and he fires off a scorching ray from his fist at the bulk of the swirl around him.
Sajan delays until init count 1.
Grall goes after the last spear wielding Gnoll.
Nuveril flashes a wicked grin at the javelin-wielding gnoll that tried to run away. "Stay and die a warrior rather than fleeing to die a coward," she admonishes it as she skips across the increasingly-corpse-laden floor to try to carry out the sentence she just pronounced. As she clears the dead hyenadon, however, her foot slips in the pooling blood, stealing the force and accuracy behind her swinging hammer.
Zeladiel manages to maintain his concentration but to his frustration the surrounding elemental is just too fast moving for him to lock on to a substantial part of its mass and the ray of fire shoots through it harmlessly, exploding against the cavern roof in a shower of sparks.
Sajan delays, angling his lantern to illuminate the priests, while Grall lunges forward to bite at the last spearman. It dodges back, prodding at Grall with its spear, but the attack was simply a feint. Two quick vertical cuts and the spearman drops to the ground, bleeding out.
Nuveril's slip prolongs the life of her heavily wounded target a little longer, it manages to take her hammer in the middle of its shield, jabbing at her very awkwardly with a javelin.
Linah continues her battle over Zeladiel's life with the summoned air elemental and channels more positive energy into the whirling storm.
Linah's channel washes over all of the group but Nuveril, further healing your wounds. Even the stronger channel passes over most of the gnolls without affect. Only one seems to have enough life left in it to open its eyes and make it to its knees (AL,43).
The priest takes a step forward (AB,43) and makes a series of exagerated throwing gestures toward him. A minature storm cloud shoots out of the priest's hands striking Grall in the side and slowing his movements. This is enough distraction for the ebony greataxe to pierce his defences, the weapon slashing a narrow cut in his leg.
Storm Burst ranged touch vs Grall (bless) hit
non-lethal damage
Spiritual Hammer vs Grall hit
The air elemental pounds Zeladiel and Khalid in its whirwlind yet again, the elf in particular now covered in reddened skin and bruises despite Linah's healing.
Buffet vs Zeladiel damage
Buffet vs Khalid damage
The whirlwind then dissipates, the elemental re-taking its former, more solid form and dumping the pair back on to the steps on unsteady feet.
The warrior healed by Linah's channel gets back to its feet and looks to be making a run for the door.
Nuveril's target takes a step back (AL,35) and hastily throws a javelin at her head. Not fast enough though, the barbarian reads the move and ducks under the missile.
Javelin vs Nuveril (bless) miss
Sajan attacks the incoming Gnolls on their flank, in order to make approaching him a dangerous prospect. He moves to AL/AM 36/37, using his superior reach to attack the Gnoll in AJ36 and almost contemptuously ignoring the javelin thrower he now has trapped inside his reach. He extends his massive right arm and strikes with an open palm direct to the Gnoll's throat, attempting to smash its jugular in a single blow.
Crit threat
Crit confirm?
Sajan moves up to join Nuveril, his chosen target cutting wide defensive circles with its greataxe. The monk simply ignores it, the palm strike moving faster than the priest can follow. Theres a small flash of light as the blow pops the priest's protective shield like a soap bubble and it goes down thrashing, clutching at its ruined throat.
All the King's Gnolls
Round 6
Ordered Initiative
Carrion Guard Archer 14
Carrion Initiates (3) 13
Carrion Initiate (AG,37) 12
Khalid 11a
Zeladiel 11b
Grall 7
Nuveril 6
Linah 3a
Carrion Priest (AB,43) 3b
Air Elemental 3c
Carrion Warriors 2
Sajan 1
Effects
Bless (All)
Blur (Grall)
Gravity Bow (Zeladiel exp R6)
Enlarge Person (Sajan, Grall)
Bull's Strength (Nuveril, Sajan, Grall)
Shield of Faith (Khalid)
Weapon of Awe (Khalid)
Prot from Evil (Linah)
Notes
- There's a low rail on the staircase but its not enough to provide cover. Large creatures will squeeze on the steps.
- The room has dim light (20% miss conditions) through to about 20' high and the near part of the pit and darkness beyond. A light spell generates 20' of normal light. A bullseye lantern provides normal light in a 60-foot cone and increases the light level by one step in the area beyond that, out to a 120-foot cone.
Its hard to hear over the top of the furious battle but you can hear many gnoll cries, particularly from above and beyond the western door. It has not been long and the gnolls still seem to be gathering but it seems you will face substantial further forces eventually.
From beyond the second set of double doors on the western edge of the temple you can just hear a powerful base voice shouting commands.
Remember this day Gnoll, a day that your new master you to live! he says to the Gnoll as he lets the Gnoll flee
To the priests, free action speak round 6 turn just before they act.
Do you fear us so much that you cower by the fire, like pups waiting on a teat! You mean nothing to us, your king means nothing to us! Come
The gnoll Linah healed stumbles away from Grall, weaponless, it seems to want no further part of the massacre.
Finally able to see, the archer moves round to the door (AI,29) and looses a shaft at Sajan. Its aim is good but between the monk's instinctive combat reflexes and magical protections the arrow is deflected rather than sinking into flesh.
Arrow vs Sajan (bless) miss
The priests bare their teeth in response to Grall's taunt. Its impossible to see their expressions beyond their demon masks but he can almost feel the raw hatred radiating from their eyes.
They split their focus , two attacking Sajan while two charge at Grall.
The first steps over the body of its companion (AJ,36) to get at the monk while the second passes within his reach ((AH,36) moves to AJ,38 which provokes). Both are veterans, weapons and arms enspelled with the essence of their dread master's power. But neither manages to get past the monk's guard, Sajan constantly moving to block offensive strikes with hand and feet.
Greataxe vs Sajan (guidance) miss
(smite)
Greataxe vs Sajan (guidance) miss
(smite)
The two attacking Grall have greater success. The barbarian lines up a massive overhead cut on the first but the stormburst is still hampering his movements and the spiritual weapon cuts at his knee at just the right time to throw him off-balance. The priests seek to take advantage, using the heavy weight of their axes to launch strong shearing blows. But in turn they struggle to position him exactly with the blur and the very weight of their weapons makes it difficult for them to change direction mid-swing. The barbarian takes a bruising hit to the side but avoids another completely, the axe passing harmlessly through what the priest thought was his shoulder.
Greataxe vs Grall (charge,guidance) hit
(smite)
!!
Greataxe vs Grall (charge, bless, guidance) hit
(smite)
miss !
Clumsily, Zeladiel attempts to tumble up the steps away from the Air Elemental.
He tries to regain his footing and fires an arrow into the swirling mass.
Grall attempts to end one of the Priests miserable life....
Potential Crit
The priest buys Grall's feint with his bite and as he leans over, Grall neatly severs his head...
With his feet back under him Khalid slashes the elemental hard from side to side, cutting away part of the creature's form.
Zeladiel's movement gives the elemental an opportunity to strike him but fortune seems to smile on the beleagured elf, the creature misstiming its attack in its haste to pound him and he manages to scurry backward out of reach unharmed.
AOO Slam vs Zeladiel
Unfortunately his luck stops there and his arrow is deflected sidewise by the winds making up the creature's form.
Grall's feint works like a charm and the priest falls back, its head hitting the ground a half-second behind its body.
Assuming that Sajan has the advancing priests in hand, Nuveril twirls her hammer with a playful smile. "Tell you what, gnoll," she suggests as she steps up after the javelin-wielder, "let's make this a little more interesting. I'm not even going to try that hard to kill you. Go ahead, try to land a blow. Die a warrior." Letting go of her battle fury, her chest heaves with panting breaths as she attacks almost casually, like a cat toying with a beetle. Her hammer glances harmlessly off the gnoll's shield with a clang, but her spiked shield jabs in savagely beneath it.
Nuveril's gnoll's eyes go wide, very wide, as several of her shield's spikes sink deep into its gut. It goes down coughing blood.
With her resources running low Linah moves up next to Khalid, desperatly trying to aid him to get the elemental's attention off Zeladiel.
The elemental rounds quickly on Linah as she moves up to it, lashing out with a cloud shaped fist and punching her in the side.
AOO Slam vs Linah hit
The power of the blow momentarily drives the air from her lungs, hampering her efforts to distract the thing for Khalid.
The priest (AB,43) continues his assault on Grall throwing another storm cloud which again is on target and this time slicing him in the back with the ebony greataxe. Even the mighty barbarian is starting to slow from his wounds now and the priest seems more confident, although it continues to yell at the air elemental.
Storm Burst ranged touch vs Grall (bless) hit
non-lethal damage
Spiritual Hammer vs Grall hit
The elemental seems set on carrying out its initial command, following Zeladiel doggedly. It hits him again with a glancing punch to the mouth that brings forth a trickle of blood.
Slam vs Zeladiel hit
Of the initial dozen warriors only "Lucky" remains. Running a wide circle around Nuveril he makes it to just short of the western door.
Sajan executes a near perfectly timed roundhouse kick to the priest's skull as he rushes him, easily swaying aside from the swings of the greataxe and blocking the haft with muscular arms when dodging alone is not sufficient.
The elemental is able to avoid Khalid's strike with its tremendous mobility.
Sajan finishes his wounded opponent, with a flurry of offensive strikes that send it and its axe flying away.
All the King's Gnolls
Round 7
Ordered Initiative
Carrion Guard Archer 14
Carrion Initiates (2) 13
Khalid 11a
Zeladiel 11b
Grall 7
Nuveril 6
Linah 3a
Carrion Priest (AB,43) 3b
Air Elemental 3c
"Lucky" 2
Sajan 1
Effects
Bless (All)
Blur (Grall)
Enlarge Person (Sajan, Grall)
Bull's Strength (Nuveril, Sajan, Grall)
Shield of Faith (Khalid)
Weapon of Awe (Khalid)
Prot from Evil (Linah)
Notes
- There's a low rail on the staircase but its not enough to provide cover. Large creatures will squeeze on the steps.
- The room has dim light (20% miss conditions) through to about 20' high and the near part of the pit and darkness beyond. A light spell generates 20' of normal light. A bullseye lantern provides normal light in a 60-foot cone and increases the light level by one step in the area beyond that, out to a 120-foot cone.
Its hard to hear over the top of the furious battle but you can hear many gnoll cries, particularly from above and beyond the western door. It has not been long and the gnolls still seem to be gathering but it seems you will face substantial further forces eventually.
The particular voice you heard shouting before seems to have gone silent...
The archer shoots again at Sajan, carefully selecting an arrow from its quiver but the monk has no difficulty anticipating the angle and side-stepping.
Arrow vs Sajan (bless) miss
You've thinned the priests down to the two attacking Sajan and Grall (and the caster sniping at the barbarian from afar).
Now one on one, Sajan has his opponent hopelessly out-matched for all its anger, side-stepping a powerful overhead chop.
Greataxe vs Sajan miss
(smite)
Less focused on defense, Grall takes another glancing blow, this time to the bicep.
Greataxe vs Grall
(smite)
For all Khalid's efforts, he is unable to avoid giving the elemental an attack while he closes and the creature hits him solidly in the ribs.
AOO Slam vs Khalid hit
Khalid returns the hit with interest though, slashing left and right with Tempest into the creature's form. Its whole body shimmers and wavers for a moment before re-constituting. One more decent blow seems to be what it will take to end the annoying thing...
With both himself and Khalid near death, Zeladiel pulls forth the last magic from his bow and attempts to shape it into the magic missiles that had previously been so effective.
Linah's desperation becomes even more urgent when she realises that her attacks are useless against the summoned elemental. She gathers her resolve into another burst of healing energy, determined to keep Khalid and Zeladiel alive.
With both himself and Khalid near death, Zeladiel steps back and pulls forth the last magic from his bow, shaping it into the magic missiles that had previously been so effective.
magic missile
Grall, knowing that he is near the end of his focused strength, lets the anger leave him, hoping to save some of his strength for the Carrion King and his other minions that surely await them...
He then attacks the priest in front of him before tumbling back 30'.
Fatigued for 9 more rounds.
Nuveril looks at the dying gnoll as scornfully as the cat when it has accidentally set its paw too heavily on the beetle it intended to play with for a while. "Disappointing," she comments, hopping over the prone form. She skirts around the priest west of Sajan, stepping in close enough to swing her hammer only when she has it sandwiched between herself and the oversized monk.